CVE-2025-62985 identifies a stored Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the llamaman Simple Pull Quote WordPress plugin, affecting all versions up to and including 1.6.3. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during the generation of web pages, which allows attackers to inject malicious JavaScript code that is stored persistently and executed in the browsers of users who view the affected pages. This stored XSS can be exploited by an attacker with low privileges (PR:L) and requires user interaction (UI:R), such as clicking a crafted link or viewing a compromised page. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5, indicating medium severity, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L. This means the attack can be performed remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges, and user interaction, and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a limited extent. The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild and no official patches have been released, the presence of this vulnerability in a widely used WordPress plugin poses a significant risk. Attackers could leverage this flaw to steal session cookies, deface websites, or redirect users to malicious sites, potentially leading to data breaches or reputational damage. The plugin is commonly used to display pull quotes on WordPress sites, so any website employing it is potentially vulnerable. The vulnerability was published on 2025-10-27, with the CVE reserved a few days earlier. No CWE identifiers or patch links are currently available, indicating that remediation is pending. The vulnerability requires website administrators to be vigilant and implement interim mitigations until a patch is released.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to websites using the Simple Pull Quote plugin on WordPress. Exploitation can lead to unauthorized script execution in users' browsers, enabling session hijacking, theft of sensitive information, defacement, or redirection to malicious sites. This can compromise user trust, lead to data breaches involving personal data protected under GDPR, and cause reputational damage. The impact on availability is limited but possible if attackers use the vulnerability to inject disruptive scripts. Since the vulnerability requires low privileges and user interaction, attackers could target employees or customers through phishing or social engineering to trigger the exploit. Organizations with public-facing WordPress sites, especially those in sectors handling sensitive data such as finance, healthcare, or government services, are at higher risk. The vulnerability's medium severity suggests it should be addressed promptly but is not as critical as remote code execution flaws. However, failure to mitigate could lead to compliance issues under European data protection regulations if personal data is compromised.

European organizations should take the following specific actions: 1) Immediately audit all WordPress sites to identify installations of the Simple Pull Quote plugin and determine the version in use. 2) Disable or remove the plugin temporarily if it cannot be updated promptly. 3) Monitor web application logs and user reports for signs of suspicious activity or injected scripts. 4) Implement strict input validation and output encoding on any user-generated content, especially where the plugin is used. 5) Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict execution of unauthorized scripts and reduce the impact of XSS. 6) Educate users and administrators about the risks of clicking unknown links or interacting with suspicious content. 7) Prepare to apply vendor patches or updates as soon as they become available, and subscribe to security advisories from the plugin vendor and WordPress security channels. 8) Consider using Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block XSS payloads targeting this plugin. 9) Review and harden user privilege assignments to minimize the number of users with permissions to add or edit content that could be exploited. 10) Conduct penetration testing focused on XSS vulnerabilities in the affected environments.